Killer Season - Lara Lacombe (HRS #1874 - Nov 2015)

Blackmail meets desire in this tale of secrets and revenge out West!

When Fiona Sanders is held at gunpoint at her convenience store job, Houston officer Nate Gallagher doesn't hesitate to act the hero. But within days she's targeted again and Nate knows the crimes aren't random. His only option: keep the vulnerable beauty safe while they search for the culprits.

Having lost her own father in the line of duty, Fiona refuses to fall for a cop -- no matter how much the drop-dead gorgeous, self-appointed bodyguard tugs at her heartstrings. But as the enemy closes in and the truth about the attacks is revealed, Fiona must learn to trust Nate…or face history repeating itself.

Very good book with excellent romance and suspense. Fiona is a young woman who works nights at a convenience store while she goes to school during the day. Working the night shift gives her lots of subjects for her research for her master's thesis in sociology. There's also the added benefit of the hot guy who stops in several times a week, giving her plenty to look forward to.

Nate is a Houston detective who stops by often as he's out and about doing his job. He's drawn to Fiona, even though they've rarely spoken, and worries about her safety. He happens to be in the store during an attempted robbery and saves her from harm. He stays with her through the aftermath and paperwork before making sure she gets home safely. When she's attacked again, he's sure that there's more happening than just random attacks and is determined to keep her safe.

I loved the connection that Nate and Fiona had right away. Fiona is alone in the world since her mother's death and has immersed herself in her schoolwork. Nate has family that he loves a lot, but has allowed his work to take over his life. When they are together they are reminded of the things in life that they really miss. There's also a really strong chemistry between them. I loved seeing Fiona put the moves on him early, and Nate be the one to resist, reasoning that giving in during all thee trouble could just be reaction rather than real feelings. I loved Nate's protectiveness and some of the sweet ways it came out. It was fun to see his partner, Owen (Killer Exposure), tease him about his growing feelings for Fiona. I loved how Fiona thought of Nate as a hero, and how he blushed when she told him so. It was really sweet to see the way she also tried to take care of him. I especially liked how she was able to help him reconnect with his family. I liked seeing how Fiona opened her heart to the idea of love, and realized that Nate was exactly what she wanted. The ending, as Nate takes her home to meet his family, was really sweet.

The suspense of the story, from the first robbery to the closing of the case, kept me hooked wondering what was going to happen next. The screwup robber was trying to prove himself to his uncle and only made things worse. Then Fiona unknowingly gets involved in a blackmail scheme that puts her in danger. I loved seeing how she and Nate worked together to find out why she was being targeted. It got really intense when Fiona was drugged and kidnapped. It was great to see how she kept her head so she could try to escape. Then just when I thought things were ready to wrap up, there was a twist to the investigation that once again put Fiona in danger. Nate and Owen leaped into action, but once again it was Fiona's level head that helped save the day.